CHESTERFIELD, Va. – At least a dozen cats were abandoned at this Chesterfield home on Alberta Road and they seem to be multiplying, according to resident Mary Cary, who has been helping feed them.
“I put the food down and they couldn't get it in their mouths fast enough, they were just starving to death,” Cary said.
Neighbors said it’s been weeks since anyone lived in the home and since then, cats have been hunkering down under the porch and in recycling bins
“They're trying just literally to survive these were somebody's pets and it's just very heartbreaking that someone would just leave them like the trash,” Cary said.
Chesterfield Police issued the following statement:
On Jan. 7, Animal Services received an email reporting that roughly 30 cats had been abandoned at a residence in the 5100 block of Alberta Road.
Animal Services officers responded and contacted the owner of the cats, who said she had 5 cats and was also caring for several strays.
She said she was returning to the property daily to care for the cats.
On Jan. 8, Animal Services officers met the owner at the residence and observed seven cats in the house; all of the cats were healthy and had access to food and water.
Later, the owner of the cats told Animal Services officers that a pipe had burst in the residence and the cats had been moved outside and had access to food, water and shelter.
To this point, Animal Services officers have not observed any violations. Animal Services will continue to follow-up as needed.
Since then, the cat owner has relocated and has been keeping the cats and kittens outside, where they continue to have food and water, so animal services said there are no violations being made.
But neighbors said they're the ones caring for the animals and there's a lot wrong with the situation
“I have fosters already lined up to help with these cats however I need a large organization to step in and help with their medical needs it is not fair for residents of Chesterfield County to be burdened with someone else's expense that's incurred because of the abandonment issue,” Cary said.
